03.16.2017
Written By: Hannah Seo
Today we explored how batteries provide electrical energy! We started off by discussing how batteries convert stored chemical energy to electrical energy, which can be utilized to power devices like cell phones, flashlights, and laptops. The students learned that a battery cell is composed of two metals in an electrolyte and what voltage and current are. We also discussed how battery cells can be connected in series and/or parallel in an electrical circuit. To put what we learned into action, we built batteries out of fruit and vegetables! We utilized fruits and vegetables as the electrolytes and copper pennies and galvanized nails as the metals to build battery cells (see here for instructions on how to build a fruit/vegetable battery cell). Using voltmeters, students measured the current and voltage outputs from the batteries they made to answer the following questions:
- Will a battery with two electrodes made of the same metal work? Why or why not?
- How do the voltage and current change when battery cells are connected in series and/or parallel?
- What fruit/vegetable makes the best battery? What do you define as being the best battery?
With this experiment, we hope that the students learned a little bit about the science behind technology that we use every day!